"Vlad?" I walked to the lab noticing the mansion was eerie at night.
Normally I would go to a friends house, but since Mom and Dad aren't happy with Vlad, they wouldn't predict that I would come here. Also I wanted to know what went wrong. Why did the machine go off like that? I found the library and flipped the secret switch opening the wall that lead down to the lab. As I turned the corner a beaker flew by and shattered into the wall. I retreated behind the corner as I saw Vlad throwing a tantrum.
"I can't believe it! I simply can't believe it!" Vlad flung another breakable object across the room. "The perfect guinea pig fell straight into my lap, and the plan fails!" He leans over his desk in desperation as he searches over his papers. "My research, I must have miscalculated somewhere.. But it's too late now.. She could have been the replacement for Daniel, in the sense that I can manipulate her better" He sighed getting up.
"No use fretting… the portal is working again, and now, my original plan falls into action" Vlad made adjustments to the fried machine and started to tamper with the circuit boards again.
"It works.." I gave a defeated smile and revealed myself as the machine came on with a green glow.
"Cali" Vlad stood up straight.
"What did you mean by that?"
"By what?" He seemed a bit nervous.
"By everything you just said?" My voice began to rise in anger.
"Success" He gasped.
"What?" I asked confused. I followed his stare to my arm. It was gone, but as soon as I calmed my anger my arm came back.
"It worked! My Thesis, my plan, everything!" He grinned in a way that sent chills down my spine.
"It worked? You mean these weird happenings are your fault!" I rolled my fingers into a fist feeling frightened.
"Calm you emotions, my little tot" He cooed as if he was talking to someone half my age. Then he pointed at my body that was slowly disappearing. I reluctantly took a calming breath as he grabbed papers from his desk.
"Years of research has lead me to a conclusion, that if a human were exposed to the free moving particles composed together in a ghost portal, the DNA would fuse with them creating-" He transformed into a floating, blue faced, pointy-headed, red-eyed, being.
"A vampire!" I exclaimed.
"A ghost" he corrected.
"Ghost portal?" I continually questioned, Vlad pointed to the glowing tunnel. Then he flew over and I plopped onto the ground feeling afraid.
"Scared? I just need to show you" He pulled me by the arm, off the ground, and from his grip I could feel a power. He created rings that engulfed my body and changed my look. "It's nothing to fear. It's power, Cali. And with it, I can show you a new world, a better world, that we can rule together" As Vlad gave his speech I dove to the ground and ran over to a mirror. My hair looked like an old lady's, silver. I was dressed in a jumpsuit that was an opposite color to my custom made one from Vlad, black and grayish. And my eyes were a haunting glow of green.
"Awesome.." I admired my new look enthusiastically from all angles. Until Gravity got a hold on my head, flipping me upside down in midair, and sending me towards the ceiling. "N-never mind! Fix me! Change me back!" I shouted growing more and more terrified.
"Focus. For control, there must be peace." Vlad calmly instructed. I closed my eyes, calmed down, and thought hard about being human again. The Transformation rings reappeared surrounding my body and changing me into my old self.
"aaAHH" I screamed plummeting to the ground, at the last second Vlad caught me by the foot.
"In due time you'll appreciate this as a gift"
"A gift, you say?" I asked as I hit the ground, face first, after my foot phased through his grip.
"There's no way to get rid of these powers. But I can help you control them, and I can show you techniques beyond your years" As he spoke he fired a beam of light, put up a shield, cloned himself, phased through me, and went invisible. "In return, you must do what I say, without question." He gave an icy smile with a lust for power burning in his eyes.
"So, I have to trust you.. You took advantage of me, without my knowing! You changed my whole way of life! This entire problem was created by you, for you! You sent me in that portal, knowing what would happen, now I'm suppose to be 'a guinea pig you can manipulate'?" I chocked, realizing how catastrophic the situation actually was. I left it at that and began to walk out, home was better then here.
"Who else can you turn to?" his voice stopped me in my tracks.
"I.. have friends, and family" It was a cliché answer, but I saw it as the most appropriate one.
"From what I can tell, your family won't accept you as a ghost. You've even told me yourself, You never really connected with them, and you practically fight every week. What if they send you away? What if they can't take it?" He was menacing, but painfully truthful. "As for your friends, I doubt they even care about you. They abandoned you for a video game. Your only their friend for minor entertainment" He mockingly laughed.
My voice was lost. I simply ran out, it wasn't true. Of course my family would accept me, and I know my friends would help me through this.
I got home to find Mom and Dad watching TV.
"I'm home.." I cracked a weak smile. They didn't even acknowledge me. I made a mental note to stop running away every time we fought.
"Mom.. Dad.. I gotta talk to you"
"Cali, go to bed. You have school tomorrow" Dad stated.
"But-" I started as Dad gave me a look that said 'don't make this any worse'
I went to my room and searched for my sketchbook. Drawing was a way I released my emotions.
*Why weren't they hearing the need for help in my voice?* I thought as I drew my picture as a ghost sloppily through the tears. I flipped the page and wiped the tears away to draw Vlad as a ghost. The pencil phased through my hand and I began to sink into the floor. I pulled myself up, feeling more frightened then ever, and I sprawled out on my carpet.
*Did I finally lose their trust..?* I thought as I crawled into bed.
The next morning was painfully normal. Mom acted like nothing happened as she dropped me off at school, and headed for work. As I walked through the front doors I found all five of my friends by the snack machines.
"You guys!" I called, but I had to say it a few times to get their attention.
"Sup?" Megan greeted.
"So, anyway-" Julian began to change the subject.
"Wait, you guys, I need help"
"What's wrong?" Natalie asked, she loves drama.
"Look" I put my arm in the middle of our group circle and made it disappear.
"Whoa!" They breathed in excitement.
"You took up magic!" Jo shouted.
"No- " I started.
"Aw, I've always wanted to be a magician" Sadie complained.
"No, I can't control- it's not.." I tried to speak but, they went on and continued their own conversation, like always. "Bye" no one replied. I walked to class realizing how much Vlad was right. Sure he started this ghost problem. But if it wasn't for that, I never would have looked over the years and discovered how much my friends, weren't my friends. They've ignored me and purposely got me into trouble over the years, I can't believe I thought that was fun. Also I realized how wrongly I was treating my family.
At school I fell through the second floor three times, and went invisible five times, thankfully I wasn't caught. After school I got home, worn out, and miserable. I looked around, Mom and Dad were still at work. I grabbed a few snacks and moped around. Then I gave up and went to Vlad's after leaving a note on the counter.
I entered the lab to a shocking sight. Vlad stood there in his ghostly form talking to another ghostly form. A puff of smoke covered my face and I waved it away. Vlad had informed me about this, he calls this smoke from my mouth, a ghost sense. I think it sends the wrong message, escaping from my mouth, like I'm a smoker.
"Ah, Cali. I knew you would came back to Daddy" he approached me and rested his hands on my shoulders. I smacked him away and backed off from the other person.
"I came for you to help me.." I admitted as I slipped into my ghostly mode.
"Who is this?" The other guy approached me thrilled at how I looked. I tried to run, but it was difficult with a ghostly tail.
"Ah, ah, ah" Vlad shook his finger back and forth. "She, is off limits"
"Hm.. I'll be on my way" the ghostly man looked let down and disappeared into the ghost portal.
"Who was that?" I asked.
"That was a ghost" He leaned in for a scary effect. I leaned against the wall after so casually meeting someone I thought was unreal for most of my life.
"His name is Skulker, a ghost hunter. Funny, I free him from a low class ghost prison, and he's unquestionably indebted to me"
"He hunts ghosts, but wasn't he a ghost?"
"Yes, and yes. He's an interesting fellow. And quite useful. . . But I digress, seeing that you have returned proves me correct" He said with an annoyingly happy voice. I looked away feeling scorned by all sides.
"Let's begin" Vlad smiled after noticing the look on my face.
I know it wasn't in my head, Vlad was rushing me. First I had to transform five times fast. Then I had to go in and out of being invisible. By the time we got to going intangible, I was on the brink of collapsing. My clothes were soaked in sweat, and I never knew my arms could feel so heavy.
"Get up, get up! We haven't even finished the basics" Vlad was practically chewing me out for not being a pro at this.
"You know, they need people like you in military camps" I fell to the ground, dizzying out from exhaustion. Vlad picked me up making a face at how disgustingly sweaty I was. He took me upstairs and threw me in a bath tub full of cold water. I watched as he tossed in several soaps along with a scented car freshener.
"Hurry up and meet me back at the lab"
It took me a few seconds to get it.
*Was he telling me to take a bath? He threw me in here fully clothed* I thought.
I swam around for a bit still in my ghost form. Mom would kill me if I told her I was in an old man's bathtub. So I scrubbed myself, suit and all. The bath took my last ounce of energy and I reverted to my human half in the midst of scrubbing. Then I got out and forced my body intangible to get dry. I reentered the lab and found Vlad tinkering with the portal.
"A little womanly advise, never tell a girl she smells bad" I told him. He took in my scent and smiled.
"I do love that new car smell"
I scoffed and sat at his desk. I still felt worn down, my knees shook and my arms felt heavy.
"Now, come on" Vlad ordered and he stepped in the portal.
"Whoa, no. I'm going home before my parents get in an even worse mood" I stomped away.
"That wasn't part of the deal" He grabbed my arm and we flew into the ghost portal.
"You expect me to obey!" I pulled away, and unexpectedly, fell. I realized too late that I was in a new world. I couldn't change and Vlad had to save me. I managed to transform as he set me down on a floating rock. I looked around and saw floating islands, along with thousands of floating doors, all randomly going around. Then I noticed the place where we came into this strange world, and made a break for it.
"Now, you really didn't expect that to work, did you?" Vlad chuckled as I couldn't even lift myself off the ground properly.
"Old man, you purposely didn't go over flying" I snapped.
"Did I? I must be forgetting things in my old age" He smirked.
As he flew off, I grabbed at his cape, so he could drag me around.
"This way, Plasmius" Skulker came out of nowhere and lead us down a narrow passageway. "Your name's Plasmius now?" I asked.
"While I'm a ghost, yes" He answered.
"An alias" I said as I thought on my own alternative name.
The passage ended at a large mansion that floated in a dark cave. Spears, swords, knives, and other types of weapons stuck out all over the home, as if there had been a war. We stepped on the porch and Vlad turned human, so I did the same. Skulker stopped at the passage and watched as we went on.
"What is this?" I asked as we entered.
"Centuries ago, a ghost from an ancient French army brought his family here and made a home to live at peace from the war that was going on at the time. If he was caught, he would be arrested, and his family killed. So, he invented the first anti-ghost device. Called The Seed Of Ectocide, it's said to be like a bomb. As soon as it attaches to a ghost it spreads out roots, engulfing and absorbing a ghosts energy."
"Will it kill?" I felt apprehensive, being half ghost.
"As long as we're human we should be fine" When he said that a spear shot and sliced straight through us. I screamed and hopped on the nearest table.
"Bobbie traps.." Vlad spoke to himself. "Relax, in this world, humans are ghosts" Vlad called out as he walked diligently away.
"Uh-huh" I was annoyed he said that after I fell through the table.
We approached the top of this abnormal house and came across a room full of blank paintings covering it's walls. Then bluntly in the open was a leathery bag, placed on a pedestal.
"Go on, grab it" Vlad shoved me. One step forward and a fleet of traps flew at me from all directions. Thankfully, I phased through them. Except, I felt nervous as I breathed my ghost sense.
"A human being? Attempting to steal from the dead?" A large hand clasped over mine as I reached for the bag. I froze as a ghost inched out of the dark. "Your name?" His breath smelled rancid, and his face looked as if it would fall apart.
"Alicia" I sounded more confident then I was, giving a fake name.
"You bluff" He breathed as his eyes gleamed red. "Camillia Nought" he seemed intrigued.
I pulled back and ran behind Vlad. The mans eyes continued to glow as he gazed onto Vlad.
"And Vlad Masters. Here to take my weapon, for your own personal gain" He coughed, sounding as if he had a dry throat.
"And It's a pleasure to meet you-" Vlad began.
"Filou" His jaws locked into a smile.
"Filou.." Vlad pondered the name. "I heard you died years ago. And yet, here you are. Looking better then ever" Vlad nonchalantly moved closer to Filou.
*Then he must be the ghost who invented those seeds* I thought.
"Yes, am I not looking fantastique" Filou altered into a young looking man, resembling the joker from a deck of cards.
"Master of the Mind's Illusion" Vlad grinned.
"You know me well" He laughed, and turned to me. "I can read your memories, and form any appearance you've ever seen" He changed into a boy from my school I have a crush on. "Someone you love" Filou taunted.
"Maddie.." Vlad said under his breathe, he seemed to be seeing Filou's transformation differently.
"Someone you fear" Filou transformed to Mom, wearing a painfully disappointed look. Vlad failed to react this time.
"And someone who causes pain in your heart" He transformed into my deceased grandfather, wearing a kind, and caring smile. Again Vlad stood strong, with slight agitation, while my heart was crying out for help.
"If it's not too much trouble, could we take the seeds off your hands" Vlad held out his hand in a gentlemanly manner.
"My family was carelessly taken up by these weapons that were meant to protect them, I grieved for the longest time, but then I realized." He threw the bag into Vlad's hands and we quickly took a peak inside. It was nothing but dust.
"I needed a way to control it. It was useless if it could only steal the power, I needed to harness it, and use it for my own" Filou slipped a necklace out from his sleeve.
It held a purple gem, but emitted a pink glow, almost as if it couldn't contain it's own power. There were odd markings as well. Dots and lines were in certain places that reminded me of a clock.
"You're invention has advanced to great standards" Vlad happily reached for the Gem as Filou pulled away.
"Many a ghost has come and gone, trying to control the gem, and they all perished"
"Why?" I stepped forward.
"When first worn the jewel will give the wearer a steady flow of increasing power, taking it to it's highest rate, then stealing it. But if the ghost wearing the jewel can't handle it, The jewel will take in the his power, killing on the spot. But if a ghost's soul can accept the jewel, and the jewel can accept the soul, then the jewel will be complete. The completed Jewel of Ectocide will amplify a ghosts power by the highest degree possible, but at the cost of a soul being trapped inside"
"Either way, the first person to wear The Ectocide Jewel, will die" I butted in.
"But think of the power! All we need is some idiot to wear it, and it'll be complete" Vlad interrupted trying to reach the jewel again. Filou fired a ghost ray for him to keep away, but Vlad hit the wall and passed out in the process. I transformed and walked apprehensively forward to protect him.
"Although, all ghosts seem to have failed at containing it.. Maybe half-ghosts such as yourselves can do better" He quickly flew around behind me. "Being half-ghost, you could fill yourself with ghost energy."
"That makes no sense!" I attempted to punch him, but he dodged it.
"Think of a container. Half-full of sand, half-full of water, that's what you are. And The Jewel of Ectocide will increase the sand in that container, until the container is full. Then it takes the sand, leaving the container with nothing" He clasped his hands together signifying the end.
"Then.. The jewel will make the ghost half, overpower the human half" Vlad stood up, transforming into Plasmius.
"Does this not interest you Cali?" Filou seemed to have read my thoughts on wanting to get out of here.
*why's he so interested in me, I'm not the only hybrid, and he has Vlad practically lunging to his death to try out that Jewel* I thought speculating the situation.
"Because you're young, you can grow with the jewel" He whispered in my ear as he slipped the jewel around my neck.
"What?" I thought I didn't hear him right, and I failed to notice as he clipped the necklace on.
"Cali, no!" Vlad flew at me, firing at Filou.
"Wha-at!" In between uncertainty, something began to choke me.
My eye's watered as I kneeled on the ground. I remember hearing Vlad yelling, then like magic, it was gone. I took breathes with pain and laid on the ground, wiping my tears away. I gave in and stopped, resting my arm over my eyes. Vlad picked me up by the hand.
"I just want to go home.." I looked dejectedly downwards as he set me on my feet. Then I became aware of the jewel, and before I could break it off Vlad told me "Don't!"
"The Jewel of Ectocide is your life now, you lose it, you die" Filou grinned with the satisfactory of victory. I wanted to yell back at him, but the room distracted me. It suddenly became vivid, with the paintings on the walls giving off images and color. The paintings were of ghosts, a girl, a lady, and Filou. They looked like family. I gripped the jewel, it felt real, but there was no way this little gem could control me.
"I thought as much, you can see them. I hid these images from others using my power of illusion, but since the Jewel of Ectocide was made by my power, it made them visible to you. Since you hold part of me" His spiteful smile remained unfading.
"As if I'll ever believe that this can manipulate my life, you hateful creature!" I spat as I threw the jewel across the ground. But Vlad wrapped it back around my neck as I began to choke again.
"There is a way for her to take this off without dying, correct?" Vlad almost pleaded to Filou, probably not wanting a lawsuit.
"No, the course will go on, nothing can change that"
Negative emotions were building up, as I apprehended everything. I'm dying, but I'm technically already half-dead. This new world is crazy. And I need to find my way home. This has to be a dream.
"And you can go. Live your life, and when you're done, I'll pick you up" Filou spoke as if we were neighbors saying goodbye for the night, practically sociable.
Vlad retaliated, I was so glad he didn't want my death either, he told Filou "There has to be a way."
Then the place began to melt. Filou was melting, Vlad was melting. I darted after Filou before he was gone, but something flew over me and I blacked out.